24
by EmRosey
Summary: OLD . Charlie POV. Charlie knows hes going to die in 24 hours, how does he cope with that? Leaving the loved ones behind? Oneshot Song fic to 24 by Jem. Please read and review! Touches on PB&J Chaire


**Ok, Im still not over Charlie dying, this is my third oneshot about it know (Call me sad, I dont care! I am sad! Terribley sad over the loss of Charlie!) This is a song fic about it to the song 24 by Jem. I was listening to her CD the other day and I suddenly thought that this song was perfect for Charlies death. **

**Summary : Charlie POV death Song fic (OneShot) Imagine knowing your going to die, Charlie does but he cant let anyone know. Everything Charlie goes through until he dies, leaving loved ones and facing fate. Song 24 by Jem.**

**Im also thinking about adding a Claire POV piece as a second chap of this - let me know if you would like to see that!**

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_Been given 24 hours  
to tie up loose ends  
to make amends  
His eyes said it all  
I started to fall  
and the silence deafened  
Head spinning round  
no time to sit down  
just wanted to  
run and run and run  
Be careful they say  
don't wish life away,  
now I've one day_

_and I can't believe  
How I've been wasting my time_

As soon as Desmond told Charlie about his flashes, he knew that what was he had to do. Quite simply he had to, and was going to die. Die to save the islanders, die to save his friends, to save Hurley but to most of all save Claire and Aaron.

"I'll do it. Swim down, turn off that bloody switch, swim back up. Piece of cake." I said confidently, putting on a show for Jack as me and Des had planned.

"Charlie, you don't even know what we're talking about." Jack said shaking his head.

I was junior swim champion in Northern England. I can hold my breath for four minutes, I know exactly what you're talking about, Jack." I reasoned, but he wouldn't let it go further, but I knew it would happen, Des had seen it in his flashes, so it had to be true, had to happen. It simply had to, anything to get Claire and Aaron to safety.

We decided to leave Jack to stew for a while, knowing he would relent in the end. I sat down on the beach shore, knowing I couldn't tell people before I left, for a start they would stop me and secondly want to know all about Des and his flashes.

Since I got to the island I changed, become a better person, stopped the drugs and got a responsibility, become a father of sorts and more importantly found love. Found Claire.

It was such a great feeling being with Claire and Aaron, I had known it for such a little time compared to all the long days and sleepless nights I spent drinking and getting high, compared to my life now it seemed such a waste. Although I wished I'd had it earlier in my sorry life, I was glad I had had it before the end, if only for a little while.

_In 24 hours they'll be  
laying flowers  
on my life, it's over tonight  
I'm not messing no I  
need your blessing  
and your promise to live free  
please do it for me_

"Charlie? You still up for a swim?" Jack asked me when all the group were gathered later that evening, making our plan to prepear for the others attack.

This was it, accpeting the mission like a signature on my will, I still had a chance to back out now but I wouldn't, couldn't, do that I had to do it, for Claire and Aaron.

"Yeah I believe I am." I said with a triumphant smile, I would finally do something useful with my sad life, something worth doing, something great, something good.

Sitting on the beach I started to try and scrap together the best parts of my life, in true rock star fashion, my greatest hits. Thinking about the good times in the haze of bad ones made me feel better about who I was and who I had been. I realised truly now, that the drugs didn't matter, now I had been handed my death sentence, only the things that truly mattered made my thoughts, thoughts of Liam, my mum and dad, Hurley, Claire and Aaron, the people that mattered to me… the people who I hope would miss me when I'm gone.

_In 18 hours they'll be  
laying flowers  
on my life, it's over tonight  
I'm not messing no I  
need your blessing  
and your promise to live free  
please do it for me_

This is it, today I will die. Die to save them, the people that matter. There were so many things I wanted to say but couldn't that it was eating me up inside.

I looked at Claire as she questioned me about what I was about to do, only lies I could give her and that broke my heart, but I hoped she would understand, that it was this I had to do. I looked into her eyes as she waited for me to answer, so many things I wanted to tell her, your beautiful, I love you… but I couldn't.

"It's what needs to be done to get us all rescued. I'll be fine, Claire. Now you've gotta promise me something. While I'm gone. Don't worry about me." I said, my voice threatening to break, I love you, I love you, I love you repeated over and over again in my mind as if I hoped she could hear my thoughts.

"Ok" She replied simply, seeming upset that I had to leave, I don't want to Claire, I have to! My mind screamed at her, my lips staying silent.

"Ill take him" I said guesturing to Aaron who had begun to fuss.

"Thanks" She smiled passing him over, a stab in my heart as I thought I would never see that radiant smile again, another stab as I realised I would never hold Aaron again.

"Hey! All right turnip head, now you take care of your Mum while I'm away, OK?" I said settling Aaron in his crib, tears welling in my eyes yet I was determind not to cry, it would ruin everything "I love you." I whispered as I tucked the blanket tighter around him. "See you soon." I lie standing to face Claire, it almost felt illegal to lie to such a sweet person, but I had to do it.

"Be careful Charlie, ok?" She said worriedly.

"Ok" I replied and kissed her softly, loving the feel of her sweet lips on mine, a third stab at my heart as I realised I would never feel that again.

_13 hours they'll be  
laying flowers  
on my life, it's over tonight  
I'm not messing no I  
need your blessing  
and your promise to live free  
Please do it for me_

I stood by the canoe with Desmond as he made a weight belt for me when Hurley came down the beach and towards us. No Hurley, turn away, go back, my head shouted. I didn't want another person I would have to lie to, another goodbye that couldn't be said.

"Dudes, wait! I heard. I heard what you're doing. I wanna come with. Everyone, they're all going to the radio tower and, I'm sick of trekking and, you know, explosions. I think I can help you guys out. I'm a really good paddler." He said lamely, seeing the expressions on our faces.

"You can't go, Hurley." I said.

"Why not?" He asked sadly.

I desperately tried to think of something, anything to say, any excuse at all I could give.

"Because, you're too big! You won't fit in the boat." I blurted out, instantly regretting it when seeing the hurt look that washed over his face, I couldn't die with him angry with me.

"That's uncool, man." Hurley said and turned walking away.

"Wait, wait, wait!" I shouted after him, I couldn't leave with him hating me, I just couldn't. I hugged him tightly.

"Dude, it's fine, I don't even wanna go on your stupid boat." Hurley insited embarrassedly.

"Catch up with you later. Just remember I love you, man." I beamed at him.

"Yeah, whatever, love you too." Hurley laughed before leaving us and heading back to camp.

Des rowed us out into the ocean and I put my finishing touched on my list of 'greatest hits'. I knew from the start who I wanted to give them too, Claire. I would get Desmond to give it to her, I know he will. I feel brighter now, well as bright as I can so near to my death. I know that it's the right thing to do. Looking back this island is the best thing that ever happened to me, even though its going to bring my death, it brought friendship, family and love and that outweighs death by masses. It helped me clean up my life, or rather Claire did, nows my chance to pay her back.

_In just 8 hours they'll be  
laying flowers  
on my life, it's over tonight  
I'm not messing no I  
need your blessing  
and your promise to live free  
please do it for me_

We reach the place where the station should be, under the depths below us. I looked across at him and he looked back. There was a great tension in the air, an indescribable one, something neither had felt before. But then again neither of them had had to face the prospect of one of their certain deaths before.

"I want you to give this to Claire for me." I said, holding ut the list I had written.

"What is it?" Desmond said taking the list from me.

"It's the five best moments of my, sorry excuse for a life. My greatest hits." I said trying to take the edge of sadness from my voice, I could see the worrry and upset setting in on his face now, I didn't need to show it too "You know, memories. They're all I've got."

"You don't have to do this, Charlie!" Desmond protested "Ill go!"

"But your flashes?" I questioned.

"Maybe, I keep seeing you die because I'm supposed to take your place" Desmond reasoned. I knew he was trying to stop me going down there, trick me into believing him, but it wasn't going to happen, I had decided a long while ago now, I was ready to die for this cause, he couldn't do anything to stop me.

"What about your girl, Penny?" I said trying to talk him out of it.

"What about your girl?" He asked me, no, no don't let me think about Claire… the one person who could make me stop this – but no Im doing it_ for_ her "Besides. I might be luckier than you. Keep your memories to yourself. I'll take it from here." He handed me the paper back.

As he turned around to pick up the weightbelt I hit him hard across the head with the oar, knocking him out. I was going to do this. I moved him more comfortabley in the canooe then tucked the note back inside him fist.

"You and I both know. You're not supposed to take my place, brother." I said to his unconcious profile before putting the weightbelt on and jumping into the depths below.

_In just 1 hour they'll be  
Laying flowers  
On my life, it's over tonight  
I'm not messing no I  
Need your blessing  
And your promise to live free  
Please do it for me_

Its certainly been eventful down here, firstly the place wasn't flooded at all there were two crazy chicks inside, questioning me. I decided to wind them up, they could do what they liked, I was going to die anyway. When I explained my plan to them and told them I would die they looked at me just like people looked at me back when I was on heroin, but this time I wasn't on any drug… well maybe one type, the drug of love which was driving me to do this, driving me to save Claire and Aaron.

Desmond turned up a little after whille the women were radioing Ben, I could have either hugged the man insanely for seeing him or clouted him for daring to follow me, the two women reappeared and he quickly hid away. Then another other apperared, Mikhail from the clearing before, I knew we shouldn't have just let him go whether he saved Naomi or not. Mikhail however shot the two women first, I must admit this worried me, why hadnt he shot me?

But then he came over to me, just about to shoot me and my head was screaming, it wasn't meant to be this way, I hadnt flicked the switch yet. Then Desmond jumped from his hiding placed armed with speargun, hitting Mikhail straight in the chest with it. I got the code from one of the women just before she died. I tapped in into the computer… this was it. I flicked the switch then…

Nothing.

Nothing happened, nothing flooded, I didn't die. I didn't die! But I'd flicked the switch! Maybe the flash had changed?

"So much for fate" I muttered to myself.

Then a screen flickered into life, it read "Incoming transmition!" I pressed to accpet the transmition and a woman apperead on the screen.

"Hello?! Can you hear me?" She shouted.

"Yes, yes I can hear you." I almost screamed with delight.

"Who is this? Who am I speaking to?" She demanded.

"Charlie er... Charlie Pace, I'm a survivor of Flight eight-one-five, Oceanic Flight eight-one-five." I explained desperatley… was she our rescuer?

"Er... where are you?" She asked.

"We're on an Island, we're alive." I smiled delightedly delievering the last piece of the message.

"An Island!! Well where, what's your location?" She asked wildly.

"Dunno. Who's this?" I asked.

"This is Penelope. Penelope Widmore. How did you get this frequency?" She asked.

Penelope… Penny! Desmonds Penny! She was the one who would rescue us! Des had to see this!

"Desmond! Desmond!" I shouted.

"Did you just say Desmond?" Penny asked.

"Yeah, he's here, he's with me." I smiled happily.

"Is he ok?" She asked, smiling in obvious relief.

"He's brilliant! Hey, are you on the boat?" I replied.

"What, what boat?" She asked.

"Your boat, eighty miles off shore. Er... Naomi, parachutist." I tried to explain.

"Bu, I'm not on a boat, who, who's Naomi?" She asked confused.

I was just about to answer when I heard a tap… tap… tap. I looked around to see that other Mikhail in diving gear outside… with a grenade in his hand. Hadnt Des just shot him? I thought in a wild panic. Mikhail pulled the cork of the grenade, he was going to blow the sub up!

"Hello, hello is Desmond there? Desmond, can you hear me? Desmond?" Penny shouted from the screen.

I turned to see Desmond running towards the open door, I looked behind and saw Mikhail just about to throw the grenade at the porthole window. This was it, I was going to die, but I wasn't going to take Des with me.

I ran to shut the heavy metal door, locking it just before Desmond reached, at that exact moment the glash smashed, water flooded into the room, the grenade had been thrown.

Desmond banged on the glass window in the door desperatley. I knew what he was thinking, why did I leave the room, stand with him and lock the door that way? Then the room could have flooded and we could go back to camp. The answer was I couldn't do that, the room was flooding and I was going to die inside it, if I didn't Claire and Aaron would never be saved.

Before I died, there was one last thing I had to do to save them… save everyone. I tried to keep my head above the increasing water level to write a message to Desmond, grabbing a pen and writing on my palm.

NOT PENNY'S BOAT!

I slammed my hand on the glass window that he was staring at me through, making sure he read the words, holding my breath for as long as I could. I tapped my hand on the glass to make sure he had the message. He nodded at me with sad understanding and I nodded back at him smiling, before I let myself be pulled back by the force of the water.

Faces flash through my mind, I make a cross symbol across my chest, praying for forgiveness one last time. I final person rests in my head, Claire and shes holding Aaron smiling. I get closer and see her beautiful smiling face one last time before I let go of life, whispering my last words that would never be heard, turning into bubbles in the water…

"I love you Claire"

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**Okay... I promise Im done writing Charlie death oneshots now... unless you want me to add that Claire one on the end of this! Ive already had an idea for the song but if you have one of your own let me know!**

**If you liked this please read my other oneshot 'Rest In Peace' it didnt get many reviews :(**

**Yeah, probably longest oneshot Ive ever written, you took all that time to read it... take a second to review?**


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